PORT ANGELES — A Sequim man’s trial is set to start in September, nearly two years after he allegedly threatened and tried to hit four children in a church parking lot, assaulted and threatened sheriff’s deputies and eluded them in a nearby pursuit.
The five-day trial for John F. Barcellos, 61, was set to begin on Aug. 11, but Clallam County Superior Court Judge Elizabeth Stanley agreed to a continuance on Aug. 7 at the request of Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Matthew Roberson.
Barcellos’ trial now will start Sept. 22. A pre-trial meeting is set for 9 a.m. Sept. 18.
Roberson requested a continuance as witnesses and the state’s psychologist were not available until September, according to court documents.
Barcellos was charged on Sept. 29, 2023, with 10 felonies, including four counts of harassment with threats to kill, three counts of second-degree assault with a deadly weapon, third-degree assault of a law enforcement officer, attempting to elude with a special allegation of endangerment, and harassment with threats against a criminal justice participant.
Barcellos was being held Sunday in the Clallam County Jail on $50,000 bail.
Barcellos allegedly made threats on Sept. 16, 2023, with a hatchet and attempted with his car to hit four children playing in the Sequim Seventh-day Adventist Church parking lot, according to court documents.
The Clallam County Sheriff’s Office reported that the children said Barcellos’ vehicle came within inches of them while driving at high speeds, and deputies later made contact with him.
While attempting to stop and arrest him, Barcellos drove off and intentionally hit a deputy’s vehicle, according to court documents.
Barcellos attempted to flee north on Sequim-Dungeness Way, traveling at about 60 mph, but he hit the Woodcock Road roundabout and crashed, deputies reported.
After his arrest, Barcellos also allegedly threatened a deputy and his family while traveling to jail.
Prior to the incident, deputies reported Barcellos struck a vehicle with his car about 4 p.m. Sept. 16, 2023, after tailgating and speeding past it on two occasions on Old Olympic Highway.
Clallam County Sheriff’s Sgt. Shaun Minks reported that teenagers were driving east on the highway when Barcellos passed them and pulled over to the side of the road and waited for them to pass before tailgating them.
He did that two times before the teens pulled over, and Barcellos purposefully backed into their vehicle and fled with the teens following him and taking photos of his car and license plate, according to court documents.
Barcellos was admitted and discharged from Western State Hospital for mental competency restoration in 2023. He was later evaluated for diminished capacity at the time of the incidents.
“Barcellos was more likely than not exhibiting symptoms of depression, paranoia, and maladaptive personality pathology” during the alleged offenses and “he more likely than not had the capacity to form the requisite mental states of intent, knowingly, and willfully,” said a mental state evaluation report from the Office of Forensic Mental Health Services dated July 23.
The evaluation stated “he has an elevated risk of re-offending.”
Barcellos has a history of criminal arrests, including second-degree assault with a deadly weapon, first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm, bail jumping and second-degree burglary, according to court documents.
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Matthew Nash is a reporter with the Olympic Peninsula News Group, which is composed of Sound Publishing newspapers Peninsula Daily News, Sequim Gazette and Forks Forum. He can be reached by email at matthew.nash@sequimgazette.com.
